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"How has your journey with CF shaped the problems you want to solve and the impact you hope to have on others?"

Growing up I was constantly reminded of the challenges of having cystic fibrosis (CF) and the additional hurdles that I would face to live a "normal life", but I have always wanted to live an extraordinary life. I wanted to be someone who pushed the boundaries and stood out from the norm for more than just genetic misfortune. Despite the hurdles brought on by my chronic illness, I have been dedicated to changing the stigma through my effort to maximize my life in professional, academic, and active lifestyle. I hope to inspire future generations of young adults with chronic illnesses to prove that you do not have to simply aim for a "normal life" but instead, to set the bar and their dreams even higher. Currently, I am pursuing my MBA to complement my undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering. I aspire to grow into executive leadership within my corporation and one day kickstart my own business. Balancing a fulltime engineering job, graduate school, social life, fitness, and daily medical regiments is no easy task. It comes with 5am wake ups to lift weights before work, squeezing treatments in between meetings, occasionally calling out from work to attend clinic, and rebounding from surprise infections. Setting high aspirations with a chronic illness can be a difficult challenge, but I hope to show others that it is still possible and that regardless of our life challenges we all deserve the opportunity to dream big. Outside of work, I try to live life to its fullest. This shows in my rotating weekly hobbies of mountain biking, snowboarding, surfing, rock climbing, archery, or simply anything that gets me outdoors and moving. I have been fortunate to accomplish feats that doctors told me would not be possible with CF, such as skydiving, summitting mountain peaks, and even scuba diving. These experiences have shown me that nothing is beyond the reach of determination. Currently, I coach high school robotics students and volunteer as a mentor for engineering college students. This combines my love for giving back with academics and working with young students. In the future, I aspire to mentor others facing chronic illnesses, demonstrating that it is possible to live life to its fullest - whether that means attaining a master's degree or free diving 30-feet underwater. These goals prove to myself and others that people with chronic illnesses can set ambitious dreams in life despite being weighed down by a chronic illness. If I could offer one piece of advice to others in the chronic illness community, it would be to set big goals first, then work hard to make it happen!